Skylanders Battlecast Announced: Trailer & Press Release

Skylanders BattleCast Official Trailer

*Official Press Release Below*

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SKYLANDERS, LEADER OF THE TOYS-TO-LIFE CATEGORY,

 BRINGS CARDS TO LIFE WITH SKYLANDERS BATTLECAST

Skylanders Delivers Brand-New Adventure with

Free-to-Play Mobile Card Battle Game

SANTA MONICA, Calif. - August 18, 2015 - Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI), is setting out to create a legendary league of card battlers with the mobile card battle game, Skylanders Battlecast.  Created by the pioneers of the toys-to-life videogame category, Skylanders Battlecast brings cards to life in a new free-to-play mobile adventure, set within the Skylanders universe. The game offers everything from collectibility to strategic card combat, online PvP and an exciting single-player campaign, appealing to both Skylanders fans and classic card battle enthusiasts. Skylanders Battlecast lets players create a team of their favorite heroes and build the ultimate deck for battle.  Fans can master strategic card combinations to become a champion of Skylands.

"Built from the ground up to bring Skylanders to life on mobile devices, Skylanders Battlecast combines physical card play with mobile gaming in an all-new way," says Eric Hirshberg, CEO, Activision Publishing, Inc.  "This is our biggest investment, and one of our most magical ideas yet, for the Skylanders franchise on mobile."

For Skylanders Battlecast, players can purchase physical card packs at retail, as well as digital card packs in-game.  Players will experience a magic moment by scanning cards with their mobile devices and watching them come to life.  Additionally, fans can scan two character cards to create animated duels in which players can physically interact with the characters.

"We are bringing physical cards to life in an exciting new way. Activision has assembled a team of experts across video game design, physical card game design, pro card players and top card artists to develop an amazing new experience," says Josh Taub, senior vice president, product management, Activision Publishing. "With Skylanders Battlecast, fans can expect the amazing creativity, innovation and fun that Skylanders games are known for delivering."

Coming in 2016, Skylanders Battlecast will be available via the App Store, Google Play and the Amazon Appstore.

*End Press Release*

So, what are your thoughts?  Are you going all in on this one?  Are you dreading it because you know you'll collect them all, or are you up for the challenge Portal Master?  I definitely plan to give the game a shot and I personally think it has a lot of potential to be a very fun, addicting game!

Later tonight I will be adding a dedicated subforum for Battlecast on the Skylander Club Forum, so look for that...in the mean time, you can join in here:
http://www.skylanderclub.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=494

Lastly, let's take a look at some of the images we've got:

Back of the Cards

^The design is stellar in my opinion!^

Character Side

^Let's see if these match card/in game stats!^

In-App Gameplay

Skylanders Trap Team Unboxing Torch

What: Torch, Fire Element Newlander
What Does She Cost: $9.99 plus tax
What is Included: Torch, Stat Card, Sticker Sheet with Special Code

More Picture and Info coming soon!

Skylanders SWAP Force Launch Day Haul Collection Overview

These type of videos are always popular requests, and since Launch Day is only once a year and the Skylanders are only "boxed" once, I figured I would film this to showcase to everyone what I picked up on Launch Day and give some insights as to where I went for what and share some sweet deals you can take advantage of to save a little cash and enhance your personal collection!

What was your strategy for Launch Day?  Any good finds, or problems?  Notice any characters or items being low stock, or hard to find?  Post up your experience!

I will update this and add pics as time allows.

Skylanders Giants Unboxing LightCore Shroomboom

Skylanders Giants Unboxing LightCore Shroomboom

What?  LightCore Shroomboom, Life Element, New Skylander

Where Did You Get It?  Amazon.com

How Much Did It Cost?  $11.96 plus tax (Free Super Saver Shipping)

What Is Included?  LightCore Shroomboom, Stat Card, and Sticker Sheet with Web Code

What Was Stock Like?  I have STILL never seen LightCore Shroomboom anywhere in person.  If not for Amazon's listing I would still be looking.

What Lights Up?  Shroomboom's Eye (white) and the Mushroom in his right hand (green)

Quick Character Info

Slogan:  "He Shoots, He Spores!"

Stats:

Power/Strength: 60/150
Defense/Armor: 80/150
Speed/Agility: 50/150
Luck: 110/150
Totals: 300/600

Conclusion

LightCore Shroomboom has basically done a vanishing act since his release at Toys'R'Us.  I have NEVER seen him in person at any store.  If you do not want the Dragonfire Cannon Battle Pack this is a way for you to pick up Shroomboom and add him to your stable.  Do not pay more than retail!!

As for the light-up effect on this one, I think they did a nice job.  Rather than yet another disappointment, I think the work done on Shroomboom suffices and casts a nice glow...the green mushroom really sets it off and pushes him over the edge.

I have seen online that the battle pack characters (Hot Dog, Shroomboom, Zap, and Chop Chop) will all get single pack releases, but I would not expect them until the end...That said, if you don't care for the Battle Packs or Light Core, you can still land Shroomboom, it will just be a ways off....

Overall, if you are a Shroomboom fan this is a no brainer.  If you are a fan of LightCore characters this one is nicely done.

Skylanders Topps Trading Cards

Well here we are on the eve of New Year's Day and I figure I'd tidy up the blog a bit...

I really enjoy collecting the Skylanders trading cards and I will probably continue to pick up a few packs here and there to see if I get anything cool...Not sure I'll go for the complete set, but there is a chance.

Anyway, I want to basically just post any and all "Opening" or "Review" vids related directly to the Topps Skylanders Giants Trading Cards here.  I'll get started with the TRU Exclusive Collector Card Starter Sets and then go chronologically.

Note that for more info on the Collector Card Starter Sets you can simply click the blog link for a detailed run down...

TRU Collector Card Starter Set (Legendary Jet-Vac)

Blog Link: Blog Link for More Info, The Original Post

TRU Collector Card Starter Set (Legendary Bouncer)

Blog Link: Blog Link for More Info, The Original Post

Topps Fat Pack, Topps Jumbo Pack

Blog Link: Blog Link for More Info, The Original Post

(4) Topps Single Packs (Opened 12-23-12)

(3) Topps Single Packs (Opened 1-1-13)

(5) Topps Single Packs (Opened 1-8-2013)

(6) Topps Single Packs (Opened 1-12-2013)

(2) Topps Jumbo Packs (Opened 1-19-2013, Round 1)

(2) Topps Jumbo Packs (Opened 1-19-2013, Round 2)

(3) Topps Single Packs (Opened 1-29-2013)

(2) Topps Jumbo Packs (Opened 2-22-2013, Round 1)

(2) Topps Jumbo Packs (Opened 2-22-2013, Round 2)

(2) Topps Jumbo Packs (Opened 3-5-2013)

(2) Topps Jumbo Packs (Opened 4-9-2013)--Base Set Complete!!

(3) Topps Jumbo Packs (Opened 4-9-2013)--Because I Had Them Already, lol!

Blog Poll #29: What Do You Do with Your Skylander Packaging?

Blog Poll #29 asks, "What Do You Do with Your Skylander Packaging?"

This one is really just for the sake of being curious and to gauge how this game has hit between the play it and save it camps.

So, what do you do:

-Don't Open Any (Thrifty Collector)
-Open Them All, Throw the Packaging Away (It Is a Game, I'm not Investing in the Future)
-Open Them All, Except for Variants which stay Sealed (Nothing Special vs Special)
-One Open, One Sealed (Best of Both Worlds, Despite Being Broke)

The poll will close June 22nd, 2012 at 11:59 PM CST.

I think it is pretty self-explanatory.  I just was curious how people treated their Skylanders.  There are those noted collectors who have multiples, new-in-the-box, and then there are people who have all of them parading around in the grass for staged pictures.

I want to know where you fall on that spectrum.

Personally, I open mine...with the exception of the variants.  I do have some sealed duplicates, but it wasn't really by choice.  For what it is worth I "still" have the packaging from them all...I have been debating tossing it, but who knows.

I've been in collecting for quite some time and often you will find something "open" can still hold great value if it is in good shape and you have the original packaging to go with it.  That kind of helps explain why I was so interested in finding the "new" 2007 copy of the "The Last Village" lol.  Plus, the "just game cards" from GameStop etc bother me...The case, instructions, Club Nintendo Points, and ads that come for the extra $15 is well worth it imo...plus I'm usually the person that gets the "used" stuff that works for a level or two and then freezes.

So cast your vote and get a feel for what your fellow Portal Masters are doing with their collections.